Feel Free Moken 10 Fishing Kayak Review

Now a classic in its own right for those that fish the base of the cliff where stability matters and those that don’t like capsize and swimming.

Moken 10 Review Part 1

As soon as Mokeni’o (Moken 10) arrived we paddled it.

Being a fan of smaller angling kayaks I needed to know if the Fridge Fairy could paddle a shorter wider kayak. Moken 10 is only an angling kayak when your fishing gear is loaded onboard. So the first test paddle was on the Looe River in Cornwall. To my delight the Fridge Fairy she say yes.

So confident was she of it's stability that she was happy to "jump ship" and join me on my Moken 10. Test one complete – Moken 10 (Mokeni’o as we call it) can be paddled by anyone easily and yes she loved the wheel but it was still my job to car top the boat.

Moken 10 Review Part 2

Load 2 x Mokeni’o and a Hobie Outback into the Canoe Shops van and board the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry.

Head to Bantry Bay Canoes to say hello and take on provisions (coffee).
Next stop Na hAilichi and the Blue Islands. I’m just 7 hours off the ferry and Moken 10 is in the water. This is a solo trip so I am limiting where I fish. I am imposing strict limits to ensure my safety.
The Beara Peninsula affords me the luxury of paddling with an onshore wind most of the time.
I have a mark that’s a 20-minute paddle from the launch and I can sit the boat where the Atlantic swells bounce back from the cliff face (the techy term for this is 'clapotis').

I want to see and feel how fishable the Moken 10 is when the sea is confused and a bit challenging. The tri-hull shape is very reassuring and allows you to fish without part of your brain concentrating on stability. Sit in the clapotis for to long and your head gets a bit wooly.

This little mark can be inshore Pollock heaven if the bait fish are in.
True to form the Irish Pollock are there to please – 30 fish in 2 hours all 3-5lb but perfectly formed and perfectly returned.

Best fish no more than 5lb but on light gear I was a happy Old Duffer.
Paddling, fishing and taking photos single-handed is demanding – here is a pretty picture of why we fish from kayaks.

Wind 3-4 SW with a short chop and slapping back off the base of the cliffe.
I could have held a dance on Mokeni’o the stability is unreal. Damp paddling into the chop but so easy to turn and track. Drift speed was ideal just slow enough to let the lure down to do its work.

Moken 10 is a pocket battleship and everything is where it should be – more on this later.

It was necessary to do “other work” on Friday and Saturday at Bantry Bay Canoes.
Sunday blew a hooly so it was more Pollack from the shore and a few newspapers.

Mokeni’o Review - Part 3
Time to give the Pollock a rest and fish for flatties. Bearhaven is home to Dabs, flounder and ray but only when the wind lets you fish it. A late start with some date expired mackeral for bait. A hard slog to anchor in the lee of Bear Island – not the spot I wanted to fish but the wind had other ideas.

The dozen or so Dolphins around Colt Rock were making life miserable for the Mullet.
I’m grinning like a fool now – this is work – its tough but someone has to do it.
Again Moken 10 paddled well, tracked well and ran back before the wind beutifully.
The dabs were well worth the effort. Thus far I have been able to return every fish I have caught on this trip.

The fishing was slower than I had hoped - I think I am about 2 weeks too early. The Gannets and Terns are not about in any number. The long cold winter is still playing out it's hand.

The wind gets up so bring out the Hobie Outback.

I have a few lug to drown and the wind is making life difficult.
The outback works as I can peddle and control the boats position whilst fishing.

Slow drifts produce Dabs, Flounders and far too many codling.
The flatties were there if only I could get past the codling.

Moken 10 Review - Part 4

I need this weather to calm down NOW!

I have a plan.

John Angles is one of Ireland's top charter boat skippers and he is exchanging his 400hp diesel engine for a kayak paddle. If the weather eases to safe conditions JAngles, Ciaran from Bantry Bay Canoes and the Old Duffer will go Pollock fishing. Its now down to the weather if we are to hit some bigger Pollock on the Moken 10.

Wheel – ideal on hard flat ground but as useful as a chocolate teapot on the rough.

Saying that I have used the wheel quite a lot this week and it is good, you still need a trolley for the real stuff.

Rod holders are spot on and rod landyards are handy. I will replace the front rod holders with Scotty flush mounts.

Seat tie in points are angled “as they all should be”.

Tackle box/hatch is ideal.

Bow hatch is ideal – site side saddle and access everything with ease.

The boat can’t flood, as the hatch does not open to the hull.

Bow shape cuts thro the chop.

Tri hull – provides enough stability to operate a helicopter but presents a small area to the sea when forward paddling. Look at the new charter and commercial boats – big deck on small twin hulls using less effort to push them thro the water.

Dryness – the ride is dry and the bow shape deflects spray when paddling into a short chop.

Leakage – none that I can detect.

Can it catch fish? - Yes it can!

Cons:

The seat pad moves – the deluxe seat is grand but the seat pad moves when moving about the deck - NSS.
I am bolting the seat pad next time I’m at Bantry Bay Canoes using kayak cavity bolts with rubber encapsulated nuts (get them from Cornwall Canoes). No leakage and no movement of a seat pad for me. The seat on the Hobie Outback is also fixed so I have been spoilt.

Round hatch is begging for a tackle box insert

Opinionated stuff by the Old Duffer

I am the Managing Director of The Canoe Shops Group and am proud we supply only product we are prepared to paddle ourselves. Some product has been dropped along the way, as we believe we had sourced better product offering improved quality, performance and value for money.
The Feel Free Moken 10 is a superb boat and joins our sales line up.
It replaces the Malibu Mini X in my personal fleet.